One of the most persistent and troublesome problems arising during modern fabric laundering operations is the tendency of some colored fabrics to release dye into the laundering solutions. The dye is then transferred onto other fabrics being washed therewith.
One way of overcoming this problem would be to complex or adsorb the fugitive dyes washed out of dyed fabrics before they have the opportunity to become attached to other articles in the wash.
Polymers have been used within detergent compositions to inhibit dye transfer.
EP-A-O 102 923 describes the use of carboxyl containing polymers within an aqueous compositions.
DE-A-2 814 329 discloses the use of N-vinyl-oxazolidone polymers and FR-A-2 144 721 discloses the use of 15-35% of a copolymer of polyvinylpyrrolidone and acrylic acid nitrile or maleic anhydride within a washing powder.
EP-265 257 describes detergent compositions comprising an alkali-metal carboxy-metal carboxymethylcellulose, a vinylpyrrolidone polymer and a polycarboxylate polymer.
It is now surprisingly found that certain polyamine N-oxide polymers are very efficient in eliminating transfer of solubilized or suspended dyes. This finding allows to formulate compositions which exhibit excellent dye transfer inhibiting properties.
According to another embodiment of this invention a process is also provided for laundering operations involving colored fabrics.